Content Area(s): Life Science Topic: Risks associated with "Energy Drinks" Short description: An energy drink usually contains a large amount of caffeine and other stimulants, often much more than is allowed for soda. These chemicals can lead to various health problems.
Claim: Energy drinks might be bad for the health of kids and young adults.
Keywords: energy drinks, caffeine, stimulants, cardiac arrhythmia Difficulty of Concept: Easy
MS-ETS1 Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy
RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Qualifies Description/Application of Game Introduction Video:
This brief movie is used to introduce the concept of qualifiers before playing the scenario about energy drinks in the Reason Racer game. A qualifier is generally thought to be a limiting factor to a claim (examples: none, sometimes, always, best). It is a component of scientific argumentation and usually involves narrowing the focus of the claim. Identifying qualifiers requires students to look closely at the wording when making a decision about a claim. Students could practice identifying qualifiers by identifying qualifiers in familiar advertisements. Link to Game Introduction Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa3Tk6YgqFw
Full Text of Article:
An energy drink is a type of beverage is designed to boost mental or physical energy. These drinks are often marketed to kids and young adults. They usually contain large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants. The caffeine level is often much higher than what is allowed for sodas. When your body has too much caffeine there are definitely side effects related to the overstimulation of the central nervous system. Some of these side effects are:
Nervousness
Insomnia
Heart palpitations
Nausea
Diarrhea
Chest pain
Neurological symptoms
It is strongly recommended that children do not have too much caffeine; it is not good for them. In addition it is shown that high levels of sugar will raise insulin levels. This is not something you want happening to your body as it will lead to many other more common diseases such as diabetes and obesity. "Energy drinks are rip-offs," according to Bruce Silverglade of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The majority of these energy drinks are just loaded with sugar. Drinking them causes an immediate rush of sugar and an instant high that usually lasts for about an hour. That is followed by a “crash” as the feeling wears off. This is not healthy, and after time takes quite a toll, especially on a child’s less-developed and functioning body. With this behavior performed on a regular basis it is just a disaster waiting to happen.
A recent study published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth -- specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.
References/Sources:
"Sports and Energy Drinks Irreversibly Damage Teeth by 'bathing' Them in Acid." Sports and Energy Drinks Irreversibly Damage Teeth by 'bathing' Them in Acid. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 June 2012. <http://www.naturalnews.com/035830_energy_drinks_acid_teeth.html>.
Title: Energy Drinks? Don't Waste Your Energy
Content Area(s): Life ScienceTopic: Risks associated with "Energy Drinks"
Short description: An energy drink usually contains a large amount of caffeine and other stimulants, often much more than is allowed for soda. These chemicals can lead to various health problems.
Claim: Energy drinks might be bad for the health of kids and young adults.
Keywords: energy drinks, caffeine, stimulants, cardiac arrhythmia
Difficulty of Concept: Easy
Reading Level (Pit Stop 8 Article):
Flesch Reading Ease: 50.1Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 10.6
Lexile: 1320
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ETS1 Engineering DesignMS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/LiteracyRST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Vocabulary Words: insomnia, nausea, neurological symptoms, diarrhea, insulin levels, anxiety
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Qualifies
Description/Application of Game Introduction Video:
This brief movie is used to introduce the concept of qualifiers before playing the scenario about energy drinks in the Reason Racer game. A qualifier is generally thought to be a limiting factor to a claim (examples: none, sometimes, always, best). It is a component of scientific argumentation and usually involves narrowing the focus of the claim. Identifying qualifiers requires students to look closely at the wording when making a decision about a claim. Students could practice identifying qualifiers by identifying qualifiers in familiar advertisements.
Link to Game Introduction Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa3Tk6YgqFw
Full Text of Article:
An energy drink is a type of beverage is designed to boost mental or physical energy. These drinks are often marketed to kids and young adults. They usually contain large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants. The caffeine level is often much higher than what is allowed for sodas. When your body has too much caffeine there are definitely side effects related to the overstimulation of the central nervous system. Some of these side effects are:It is strongly recommended that children do not have too much caffeine; it is not good for them. In addition it is shown that high levels of sugar will raise insulin levels. This is not something you want happening to your body as it will lead to many other more common diseases such as diabetes and obesity. "Energy drinks are rip-offs," according to Bruce Silverglade of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The majority of these energy drinks are just loaded with sugar. Drinking them causes an immediate rush of sugar and an instant high that usually lasts for about an hour. That is followed by a “crash” as the feeling wears off. This is not healthy, and after time takes quite a toll, especially on a child’s less-developed and functioning body. With this behavior performed on a regular basis it is just a disaster waiting to happen.
A recent study published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth -- specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.
References/Sources:
Additional Content:
Author: Cindy Wilbur